Rodionenko reflects on results of MAG qualifying

Britain and Russia had another tussle in MAG qualifying yesterday, with Britain coming out on top this time.  Both teams had their weak moments.  Russia performed poorly on the high bar, where they missed Emin Garibov in particular.  The versatile Nikita Ignatyev, perhaps hampered somewhat by a painful back, had a rough day with a very poor floor exercise (12.933/6.833 E score) and a fall on high bar.  David Belyavski had a worse day on pommels, with a score of 12.5.  The downside is that Russia has once again trumpeted a reputation for inconsistency.  The good thing is that with a less erratic performance they have a real chance of bridging the gap of 2.772 that separates them from first placed Britain at this stage of the competition.  

But it will be perilously close, and if Russia fail to deliver on Saturday there is a real chance that the ambitious Ukrainian team, currently in third, may take them over, relegating a possible gold to bronze.  Ukraine don't have the same fire power as Russia but they are determined.  Russia will have not only to hold fast to maintain position, but also to show all their flair if they are to end in first.  That's a difficult compromise.  

Britain managed to avoid major complications yesterday, even if Daniel Keatings (pommels) and Daniel Purvis (vault) have reason to be personally disappointed.  On the scoresheet they do look to be the most reliable team here and I think the most likely outcome on Saturday will be GBR RUS UKR.  But gymnastics is gymnastics, and predictions are never an easy thing.  Given the risk level inherent in gymnastics, the medals could conceivably be distributed amongst any combination of teams in the top six, including Russia, Britain, Ukraine, Belarus, France and a rapidly up and coming Netherlands team.

This is a team/event competition, with no all around.  Russia does look likely to take gold on individual events (surely?).  Ablyazin ended up in first position on both rings and vault and managed to qualify to his specialism, floor, despite a fall.  Britain's Max Whitlock leads on floor and pommels while Ukraine's Oleg Verniaiev (who came first in the unofficial all around yesterday) leads p-bars and Epke Zonderland from Holland leads high bar.  Russia qualified gymnasts to five out of six finals, the best performance by this measure of any country.

Results are given below.  Now read on as Russian head coach Andrei Rodionenko gives his thoughts in yesterday's results.  This is a summary of an interview which can be found at http://www.allsportinfo.ru/index.php?id=83227

- It is rather early to evaluate the team.  He is happy with some things - less happy with others.  They will have to review, and decide what adjustments to make for the final.  Qualifications are a way of testing strengths and weaknesses.  They managed to qualify to all event finals but one.

-  The situation with the team is good, all the gymnasts are happy.  There is good team spirit.

-  Russia won't be in the high bar final - to an extent they are missing Garibov on this piece, but high bar isn't a strong piece for them, anyway.  Even though they aren't on this piece, they are represented on five apparatus - the best of all the teams.

- The gap to Britain is small; they had two unexpected falls, but this is a matter for the team, not the individuals.  He can't analyse this 'on the fly'; this is just the beginning.

- For the juniors, the main task was to qualify to the Youth Olympics - Nikita Nagorny will go.  Boys qualified to six finals, and there will be an interesting fight in the all around.  The British are in first and third position, the Russian gymnasts in second and fourth.